Auto

Roadside Assistance Guide

With a network of over 35,000 independently contracted road service vehicles throughout Canada and the United States, CAA is there for you whenever you need it. From having a flat tire or running out of gas, to being locked out of your car or not being able to start it, help is just a phone call away.

1-800-CAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357) accessible throughout Canada and the U.S.A.

When calling for service, you will be asked for the following information:

Your membership number and expiry date

Your name and address

The exact location of the disabled vehicle

The vehicle’s make, model, year, colour and licence number

The nature of the trouble

A phone number where you can be contacted

You must remain at or near the vehicle to receive service.
(CAA will accommodate you in extenuating circumstances.)

Remember, your CAA Membership covers you, not your vehicle. So whether you’re the driver or passenger of your own car, a friend’s car or a rental, CAA has you covered with up to four1 service calls each year when you show your valid membership card. Should you exceed these calls per year, you will be charged for the service at prevailing regional CAA contractor rates.

Please note that your membership card is not transferable. To ensure family members are covered, consider a CAA Associate Membership. For pennies a day, you can extend the benefits of your membership to other members of your household.

Accident Tows

Your CAA Membership covers you for service in the event you are in an accident. CAA will make an effort to accommodate the towing of the vehicle. Under certain circumstances police may require that the vehicle be removed immediately by an independent towing company. In these situations, the Member may submit for a refund. As a Member, you must be present for service. An original official receipt and a legible copy of the accident report must be submitted with any requests for a refund along with the name of your insurance company and applicable coverage. To be eligible for reimbursement, a receipt and/or accident report must bear the Member’s name.

Vehicles Eligible for Coverage Include:

Dual wheel trucks are eligible for all services except tire service with Basic and Plus Membership. (Tire service is only available with a Plus RV Membership.)

Rented passenger and commercial vehicles (excluding taxis and limousines). Certain limitations may apply and will be determined at the time of service.

Dual wheel licensed motorhomes, campers, fifth-wheel trailers, and the following types of trailers: travel, unloaded horse, snowmobile, utility and boat (eligible for towing, extrication and tire service with Plus RV Membership; light service can be provided with Basic Membership)

Membership Coverage and Roadside Assistance Provisions

CAA Membership covers the following services to place your vehicle in a drivable condition. If, after a reasonable effort by the service provider, these attempts are unsuccessful, the towing service provisions will apply.

Battery Service

Battery Service can come to you to help you get on your way. If you are experiencing problems with your battery, our mobile Battery Service will test, boost, or replace your battery.2 Plus, Members enjoy exclusive pricing on CAA Premium Batteries with a 6-year warranty.3

Lockout Service

If your keys are locked in the vehicle, service will be sent to gain entry. If your keys are lost, broken, or we cannot gain entry into your vehicle, CAA provides up to $50 for locksmith service (where available) for Basic Members and up to $100 for Plus Members. In cases where the vehicle cannot be made operable, towing services will be provided (manufacturer restrictions may prevent completion of service). Locksmith service refund is comprised of ignition work and/or the making of one ignition key. Please note: the registered owner must be present while their vehicle is being serviced by a locksmith.

Emergency Gas Delivery

When you run out of gas, a limited supply of gasoline will be delivered to your disabled vehicle to enable you to reach the nearest open service station, or in accordance with towing service provisions, a tow will be provided to a facility where fuel is available. Specific brands or octane ratings cannot be promised. Basic Members will be charged the current pump price for the gasoline. For Plus and Premier Members, there is no charge.

Flat Tire Service4

If you get a flat tire, your vehicle’s spare tire will be installed, as long as it’s inflated and serviceable. Before calling CAA, please ensure that any specialty key to remove the lug nuts is available. Service does not include repairs, additional trips to deliver a repaired tire, installation or removal of tire chains, mounting, dismounting or shifting of tires and seasonal tire changeovers. To avoid damage, certain vehicles will require a tow to a garage as proper installation requires that the wheel lug torque be set to the recommended specification for your vehicle. Proper maintenance of a vehicle is paramount to ensure our service providers can provide efficient, seamless service. In the event that the service cannot be rendered safely due to poor conditions or maintenance, the driver reserves the option of towing the vehicle to safety to avoid possible damage.

Extrication Service

Your vehicle will be extricated when it can be safely reached from a normally travelled or established thoroughfare. If special equipment, additional manpower or vehicles are required, the associated costs may be at your expense. Plus Members are automatically covered for an additional vehicle and operator for up to 1 hour at the scene. The service vehicle must have clear and safe access to the disabled vehicle; service cannot be rendered in plowed-in, snowbound or ice-covered alleys, streets, lanes or driveways.

Mechanical First Aid

Minor/temporary adjustments or emergency repairs not requiring parts or supplies will be made in an attempt to enable your vehicle to operate safely under its own power. If the vehicle cannot be placed in safe driving condition, the towing provision will apply.

Emergency Repair Cheque Acceptance

CAA Roadside Assistance contractors will accept your personal cheque of up to $400 CAD per occurrence for emergency auto repairs when no other means of payment is available. This service is limited to emergency repairs that must be carried out in order to make the vehicle operable. A valid membership card must be presented at the time of payment.

Towing Service

Towing will be provided if attempts to make your vehicle safely operable at the roadside have been unsuccessful. Flatbeds or dollies will be used when required.
Basic Membership includes towing within a 10 km radius of the point of breakdown, or any point of your choice along the direct return route. Plus Membership includes towing up to 200 km. A charge per kilometre will be applied by the service facility to any additional mileage that exceeds your coverage. (Service coverage varies by territory.)

Extreme Weather Conditions

During extreme weather conditions, CAA responds to calls on a priority basis, providing service first to those Members whose vehicles are blocking roadways or posing a threat to public or personal safety. Under severe conditions, we reserve the right to suspend service to Members whose vehicles are in a place of safety. Your patience and understanding under these circumstances is appreciated.

Bike Assist5

As people make a shift towards a greener lifestyle by using their bicycles more, we have CAA Bike Assist – Roadside Assistance for your bicycle. If you run into a problem that cannot be fixed on the spot, CAA will transport you and your bicycle to wherever6 you need to go. It’s included as part of your membership 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more details, download our CAA Ontario Bike Assist App or visit caasco.com/bikeassist.

Roadside Assistance “Maximums”

Primary and Associate Members are entitled to four (4) road service calls6 each during a membership year. Service calls cannot be shared or carried over to the next membership year. Once the number of calls has been exceeded, CAA will continue to provide services at a preferred rate; however, the Member must pay the contractor at the time of service on a cash-on-demand basis. Where there are questions regarding additional charges from the driver on scene, please call our Member Care Centre for clarification before accepting service.

Liability

Certain types of North American and foreign-made cars (especially those with fibreglass bodies) and vehicles with owner-made modifications are difficult to tow without causing damage. In such cases, or when lockout services are rendered, you may be asked to sign a release assuming responsibility for any damage that may occur. Should your vehicle be damaged during service please review with the operator and document the damage. You must contact CAA directly within 48 hours to report any damage. CAA and its contractors reserve the right to inspect and assess any damage claims.

CAA does not have supervision or control over the operation or management of an official contract facility. In the event of a dispute between the official service contractor for Roadside Assistance and/or charges by the contractor, we may appoint an arbitrator whose ruling shall be final and binding on both parties.

Membership does not cover the following:

Service to a vehicle already in a place of repair

Service to vehicles used in competition at races or drag races

Service to loaded or altered vehicles where the provision of the service cannot be performed safely and may jeopardize the load or damage the vehicle

Service to unattended vehicles unless pre-authorized by CAA

Delivery service – CAA does not provide you with taxi service, however, at your request and with approval for any additional cost, CAA will arrange for you to be transported to or from the disabled vehicle

Accident towing, where the policy of an insurance company pre-empts CAA service

Second or additional trips, or trips from one facility to another by service staff on one call

Service to vehicles driven into an area not normally travelled, such as open fields, beaches, private logging roads, river banks, floodway, muddy or “plowed in” or “snowbound” streets, filled driveways or alleys (service persons will not shovel snow), construction sites or other locations which cannot be reached safely

Reimbursement of expenses incurred as a result of a mechanical breakdown including lost wages, alternate transportation, accommodations, etc.

Service to school buses, cube vans, taxis, limousines, dump trucks or transport trucks

Unattended tow to a dealer for basic car maintenance

Basic Member service for a motorcycle

Refund on promotional card for non-CAA service

Non-member service

Battery “recharging” (charging is very different from boosting; a boost is a temporary measure and a charge is considered a repair involving labour charges)

Transporting an RV for winter storage or moving an RV within a trailer park

Cost of parts, labour or repair

Any charges relating to impound and storage fees (these costs are the responsibility of the Member)

Animal transportation to safety (Members must unload the animals for their safety before we can service a vehicle)

Non-CAA Contractor Services

If you have followed the procedures outlined to obtain Roadside Assistance and CAA service is not available, you may obtain your own service, pay for it and submit the original invoice to CAA South Central Ontario within 30 days. Reimbursement will be based on the prevailing commercial rate for the region where the vehicle was disabled.

If the CAA service was available but not used, reimbursement will be made at the local contract station rate, subject to approval by CAA. We will reimburse you for any service normally provided under your membership. In instances where the CAA contractor’s access is legally restricted (toll roads, limited-access highways), full reimbursement will be provided for towing back to the service facility or the nearest exit.

Reimbursement will be processed after submission of an original and official itemized invoice for services rendered by a qualified and registered auto service or towing facility. Please ensure the invoice bears the name and signature of the Member.

REMEMBER: If CAA service is available but not used, reimbursement will be made at the CAA contractor rate. So be sure to call CAA first!

4 Dual wheel vehicles needing service on an inside tire require a licensed specialist. Member may be required to obtain their own service and submit to CAA for consideration of a refund.

5 Bike Assist counts as one of your allotted roadside calls during your membership year. Service will be provided to cyclists where there is permitted vehicle access, and based on seasonal availability.

6 Basic Members receive four tows up to 10 km, Plus Members receive four tows up to 200 km and Premier Members receive one tow up to 320 km and four tows up to 200 km within CAA South Central Ontario territory.

NOTE: Motorcycles with or without sidecar are covered under CAA Plus coverage. However, due to differences in service terms in the U.S.A., Members should expect to pay for service provided to motorcycles while travelling in the U.S.A. and may submit their original receipts to CAA for reimbursement.